New Delhi, Jan. 3: The Scientific Adviser to the Defence Minister and Secretary Defence (Research and Development), M Natarajan will receive the prestigious C. V. Raman Birth Centenary Award and a gold medal for his outstanding achievements in the field of defence research and development and strategic systems.

The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, will confer the award and medal on January 3 during the inaugural function of annual session of the 95 th Indian Science Congress at Andhra University in Visakhapatnam.

Natarajan has a B. Tech Degree in mechanical engineering from IIT Chennai and M. Tech Degree in mechanical engineering with specialisation in engineering design in IIT Mumbai. He joined the DRDO in 1970. He also holds a Master of Science Degree in Military Vehicles Technology obtained from the RMCS, UK in 1975.

Natarajan has worked for over 30 years on several important project assignments relating to the design and development of tracked vehicles. He has been associated with MBT-Arjun programme since its inception. He took over the overall responsibility of development of the MBT Arjun in the capacity of Programme Director in 1987. He assumed charge as Director of the CVRDE on December 1, 1989.

He was given the Best Scientist Award for the year 1994 from the then Minister of State of Defence, M. Mallikarjun, for his personal contributions to the success of MBT Arjun. His laboratory was selected as the Best Systems Engineering Laboratory for the year 1995, for which he received the Rolling Silicon Trophy from Prime Minister P. V. Narasimha Rao. He was also awarded the National Design Award in 1996 for his outstanding professional excellence by the Institution of Engineers (India). He was made Distinguished Scientist in DRDO wef 12 Mar 1999.

In his capacity of CC R and D (ACE) at DRDO HQ looking after armaments, combat vehicles and engineering equipment, he ensured the acceptance of Pinaka MBRLS developed by ARDE, by the Army through exhaustive field tests.

He is a Fellow of Indian National Academy of Engineering since December 2001.

He was awarded the Padam Shri in 2003 for his contributions to the design and development of combat vehicles.

He was awarded Technology Leadership Award for 2003 by DRDO for his contributions to the design and development of combat vehicles and mechanical systems for LCA.

He has been a Distinguished Alumni of IIT Madras since December 2003. (ANI)